Spark tester



E. M. SIMS SPARK TESTER Fired Jim's 2s. 192's Patented Get. 21, 192 3;.

UNITED STATES EMMETT M. SIMS, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPARK TESTER,

Application filed June 29, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMETT M. SIMS, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Testers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in spark testers, especially for automobiles, or for internal combustion engines, and has for. its principal object the provision of a simple and effective testing device which can be readily attached to the dashboard of an automobile, and which when installed can be operated by the driver thereof while the car is in motion and with a minimum of trouble and inconvenience.

One of the important objects of this invention is the provision of a spark plug tester for automobiles which shall constitute a means for readily determining the operation of the automobile engine and which will effectively and accurately indicate the conditions obtaining in the motor at any time, both as regards ignition and fuel mixtures.

The present invention contemplates certain improvements over a somewhat similar device described and claimed in applicants prior Patent #1,314,908, dated September 2nd, 1919, on spark observer.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front perspective view illustrating the improved device of this invention and showing the manual operation thereof in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the spark tester.

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 4; looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure it illustrates a horizontal section taken on the line H of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates a late or panel board constituting the face of the Serial No. 648,413.

improved spark tester of this invention. As shown, a plurality of circular openings 12 are bored in the face plate 10, the number of these openings 12 corresponding to the number of cylinders of an automobile engine. A somewhat larger opening 1A is also provided in the board 10 covered with a plate of glass 15 through which the operation of the apparatus can be observed.

Additional openings 16 are positioned in the top of the board 10 adapted for the reception of screws or bolts by means of which the device may be conveniently attached to the instrument board or dash of an automobile.

Securely attached to the rear face of the plate 10 by means of screws and bolts 18 is a number of smaller plates 20, 24 and 30. The plate 20 has a plurality of elongated slots 22 cut therein as best indicated in Figures 3 and 4-. The number of these slots 22 correspond to the number of openings 12 and let in the face plate 10. A divider plate 24; is positioned between the plate 20 and the face plate 10, which divider plate 24: is provided with aplurality of small openings 26, 26 as indicated in Figures 1 and 4 corresponding to the number of the openings 12 in the plate 10 and which is also provided with an enlarged opening 28 having a countersunk rim for the proper reception and maintenance of the pane ofglass 15 in the opening 14.

Positioned immediately behind the perforated plate 20 is the board or plate 80 which is likewise securely attached to the face plate 10 by the screws and bolts 18. Aiiixed to the front face of this plate 30 by means of suitable screws 32 or the like is a plurality of metallic plates 34 corresponding in number to the elongated openings 22 in the plate 20 and adapted to be fitted therein. These metallic plates 34 are provided at each end with proper binding posts or other suitable connecting members 86 adapted for the reception of the end of wires or conductors leading from the distributor and to the spark plugs of the automobile engine.

A spark gap as illustrated at 38 is also provided on the face of the board 30 and is adapted to be positioned in that slot in the board 20 which is immediately behind the opening 14 and board 10 so that the op eration of the spark gap 38 may be at all times readily visible through the glass 15 As best illustrated in Figure 2, a plurality of insulated wires are connected to the tops of the plates 34 at the points 36 and pass directly to the spark plugs of the engine thru a conduit 42. A similar number of wires 44 are attached to the bottoms of the plates 34 and are adapted to be directly connected to the distributor of the engine at points; corresponding to the firing periods of the respective spark plugs.

The top of the spark gap 38 is provided with a binding post 46 and a ground wire 43 is attached thereto and is grounded at some convenient point on the automobile engine. The lower part of the spark gap 38 is provided with a. binding post 50 to which is attached a. flexible insulated current carrying cord having at its end a convenient plug or other current connecting means 54 as illustrated. A pin 56 projects from the plug 54 and is adapted to be inserted into the holes 26 in the board 24 and this pin 56 is of such length that when the plug 54 is properly inserted through the opening in the board 10, electrical contact will be made between the pin 56 and one of the metallic plates 34 mounted on the board 30, thereby grounding the current passing through that plate and which wouldotherwise be carried to the respective spark plug by means of the wire 40. The spark which would ordinarily occur at the plug will be visible at the spark gap 38 and the condition and intensity of the spark, together with the resultant operation of the motor, will at once advise the operator regarding the eflectiveness of the corresponding plug and cylinder of the engine. A convenient holder for the plug 5456 is provided as shown at 60 in the form of adepending element or support securely affixed to the lower face of the plate 30. The flexible cord passes readily through an opening 62 in thesuppo-rt 60 and itsoperati'on is thereby assured.

Theoperation is as follows When the plug 5456 is inserted into one of the openings 12, it will cause the spark plug in the respective cylinder to cease firing. If there is no difierence in th operation of the engine, the operator will be at once advised that the spark plug in that cylinder has not been firing and can also ascertain the cause of this by observing the condition of the spark at the ga 38. If there is no spark at the gap it indicates that the wire is grounded leading to that particular plug from the distributor, or if the spark is good it indicates that the plug is fouled.

If the engine lacks power, the ports can be tested; if the spark "is blue the trouble is in the fuel mixture; if the spark is. yellow the trouble is in the ignition;

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout awide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, ,donot purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as'my invention:

1. A spark tester for automobiles includ ing in combination apanel board, a spark gap mounted thereon, aplurality of binding posts on the panel board adapted for connection with the current distributor,- a corresponding number of binding posts adapted for similar connection with the sparkplugs, current conducting means in the panel board adapted to connect said binding posts and means for selectively grounding said current conducting means, said means comprising a flexible current conducting cord having one terminal connected to one side of the spark gap and having its other terminal adapted to be selectively put into connection with any one of the aforesaid current conducting means, and a ground wire leading from the terminal of the spark gap-opposite to that fitted with said current conducting cord.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a spark tester including a spark gap, current conducting means leading from the tester to the distributor of the engine, further conducting means leading from the tester to the spark plugs of the engine and means adapt-ed to selectively short circuit the current conducting means from the distributor through said spark gap, said means,

comp-rising a flexiblecurrent conducting cord having one terminal connected to one 7 side of the spark ga and having its other terminal adapted to be selectively .put into connection with any one of theaforesaid current conducting means.

3. In combination with an internal com bustion engine, a spark tester including a spark gap, current conducting means lead ing from thetester to the distributor of the engine, further conducting 'means leading from. the; tester to the spark plugs of the engine and means adapted to selectively wire leading from the terminal of the $Dark gap opposite to that, fitted with said current conducting cord. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EMMETT M. SIMS. 

